Duncan by Jo Jones

Author:Jo Jones [Jones, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-10-01T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“I’m ready, Mama,” Molly said quietly behind her.

“Good girl,” Lainey smiled at her. “Put your jacket on so you don’t get so wet in the rain.” She slipped her own jacket on and slid her cell phone into her pocket.

Now that she’d made the decision, she was anxious to get Molly out of here. It had just taken her a while to set generations of tradition and beliefs aside.

Grabbing the blankets, water and Molly’s half-eaten sandwich from earlier, she glanced at the sandwiches she’d left for Duncan. At the last minute she’d added a quick note of goodbye. Even if everything went in their favor tonight and there was a ranch to come back to, Duncan would be gone to wherever it was he had to go.

Saying goodbye had been harder than she’d realized. What she felt for him wouldn’t fit on a sticky note. Gratitude. Sorrow. Affection. More than affection. She’d finally settled for a mere Thank you. We’ll miss you.

“Okay,” she said to Molly. “Let’s go.”

“But where?”

“I don’t know,” Lainey answered, realizing she truly didn’t. “I guess we get to decide on the way.”

Lainey hustled Molly outside and to the truck and reached for the door handle. It was slightly ajar. “Go back against house, Molly.”

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled her gun half way out and cautiously pulled on the door handle. Molly’s half used water bottle fell from the door jamb into the mud.

Her breath rushed from her lungs as her pulse slowed to normal. She pushed the gun back in her pocket. “It’s okay, Molly. Come here.”

“What was it, Mama?”

The door was open a little. I was worried that a critter of some kind had gotten inside. I guess Duncan didn’t get it shut tight earlier.

She settled Molly inside and ran through the rain to the driver’s side. An occasional flash of lightening lit the black night. She thought of Duncan standing guard, risking his life for her ranch when she was unwilling to stay and fight for it herself.

She pushed the key into the ignition. She didn’t have any problem risking her life. It was Molly’s she couldn’t compromise. Nor did she want to risk Duncan’s.

Why hadn’t she seen that earlier? Whichever choice she made, stay or go, she could find a right and a wrong in the decision.

After all these preparations, would Duncan leave and go with her? She doubted it, but she wanted to try. She’d swing the truck around by the barn and try to talk him into going.

She turned the key and all she heard was a clicking sound. She tried again. And again. Panic sizzled up her spine and her hands shook. Praying for a miracle, she tried again.

The battery was dead.

“No. No!” It would take hours for the trickle charger to recharge it. Maybe overnight. The only other option was to pull the battery from the tractor and switch it for this one. There was no time for that. No one was going anywhere in this truck tonight.

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